Relief fund set up to assist residents after storm lashes Phuket

PHUKET: The Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) will use cash from a 4-million-baht emergency-relief fund to help residents who suffered property damage from the storm that hit Phuket over the weekend.

“We set this up after the recent strong winds damaged local homes,” Cherng Talay Mayor Ma-ann Samran told the Phuket Gazette today.

A total of 10 families suffered damage to their roofs, six of which were serious cases, Mr Ma-ann said.

The OrBorTor will offer a maximum of 20,000 baht in aid per house after residents submit receipts for the repairs, he added.

Strong winds gusting more than 50kmh, Near Gale Force on the Beaufort scale, hit the island on Sunday, causing two trees to fall on motorists in northern Phuket; no one was injured (story here).

Large waves also pummelled businesses located along the coast (story here), but Mr Ma-ann pointed out that so far the only businesses that he was aware of that suffered storm damage from the sea were illegally encroaching on beachfront land.

“These businesses will not be be permitted to apply for storm relief funds,” he said.

— Woranut Pechdee